Filed under: Alert

Two reports released by the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services show that some dietary supplement products have illegal claims on labels and don’t provide accurate company information to the FDA.

Two just-released government reports show that many supplements are illegally labeled and some companies are not including their phone number or address on the labels of products as the FDA requires. The first report explains that some of the structure/function claims on labels (such as “promotes weight loss” or “supports healthy immune function”) could not be backed up. The second report explained that 28% of companies tested did not register with FDA as required, and 72% of the companies whose products were examined did not provide the appropriate company information to the FDA. At both of the links above you also can listen to a podcast discussing the reports.

An CDC educational webinar covers the causes of noise- and music-related hearing loss and how to prevent it.

On September 11, join an online webinar, Can You Hear Me? An Introduction to Hearing Loss Prevention, sponsored by the CDC, to discuss the primary causes of hearing loss, and learn how to prevent it. This educational event is free; however, there are a limited number of open lines, so log in early.

A new app for the Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling Series is now available on the iTunes Store.

The Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling Series (NOFFS) is an important training program for sailors and Navy health professionals, combining sports science and injury prevention information to promote optimal human performance. The exercises in the series have been designed to train sailors for the types of activities they can expect to perform during operational duties. The NOFFS program is currently available as an app for iPhone, with on-the-go reference and training assistance right at your fingertips. The app features pictures, videos, and step-by-step exercise instruction, as well as nutrition tips and information. Download the app for free from the iTunes App Store!

A new dietary supplement ingredient, dendrobium, is appearing rapidly in dietary supplement products promoted to boost athletic performance. According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, manufacturers claim that dendrobium is a natural source of the stimulant phenylethylamine, but some researchers say that phenylethylamine doesn’t occur naturally in dendrobium. Phenylethylamine is a stimulant, with effects similar to those of amphetamines. At this time, the safety of dendrobium is unknown, so users should be aware that products containing this ingredient might be unsafe, particularly when used in combination with exercise.

Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) is about to launch this summer and will answer many of your questions about Dietary Supplements. Watch for HPRC’s announcement coming soon.

Consumers are advised not to purchase or use these 18 weight-loss products, which contain the undeclared drug ingredient sibutramine.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers to stop using multiple weight-loss products that contain the undeclared drug ingredient sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 for safety reasons and may present significant risks for those with coronary artery disease and other heart issues. The following 18 products have received FDA Public Notifications advising consumers not to purchase or use any of them:

Lose Weight Coffee

Dream Body Slimming Capsule

Pai You Guo Slim Tea

Botanical Slimming

Fruit Plant Lossing Fat Capsule

Sheng Yuan Fang

Acai Berry Soft Gel ABC

Tengda

PhentraBurn Slimming Capsules

Magic Slim Tea

Magic Slim Weight Reduction Capsule

P57 Hoodia

Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee

Lishou

A-Slim 100% Natural Slimming Capsule

Advanced Slim 5

Ja Dera 100% Natural Weight Loss Supplement

Slender Slim 11

For more information, see the FDA Tainted Weight Loss Products page, and click on a product name under “Public Notifications.”

Athletes are advised to avoid consuming supplements that contain the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine, also known as DMAA.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has issued an Athlete Advisory regarding methylhexaneamine, a prohibited stimulant. After reports that many athletes have tested positive for this stimulant, USADA is advising athletes to be cautious about taking supplements with methylhexaneamine, also referred to on labels as 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), dimethylpentylamine (DMP 4-methylhexan-2-amine), Geranamine, and geranium oil, extract, or stems and leaves. For more information, read the USADA Athletic Advisory.

Papayas have been recalled due to potential contamination with Salmonella Agona.

Agromod Produce, Inc., is recalling all papayas distributed nationwide and to Canada due to potential contamination with Salmonella Agona. For more information, read the Food and Drug Administration Press Release.

The FDA is warning consumers not to buy or use products claiming to antimicrobial and marketed as dietary supplements.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to stop using dietary supplement products that claim to be antimicrobial (antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral) drugs. These products are falsely promoted to treat upper respiratory infections, sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, and colds, and they look like antimicrobial products sold in Mexico. More information, including product names, is provided in the FDA Press Release.

The FDA is warning consumers about a counterfeit product marketed as the dietary supplement product “ExtenZe”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a press release to consumers warning them about a counterfeit product being represented as the dietary supplement "ExtenZe.” The counterfeit product has hidden ingredients, including tadalafil or a combination of tadalafil and sildenafil, which are active ingredients of FDA-approved drugs, making these products unapproved drugs. Taking these products with prescription medications containing nitrates could lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. More information, including the lot numbers on the counterfeit packages, is provided in the FDA Press Release.

The FDA and FTC have issued a warning to companies marketing unproven products to treat STDs.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to several companies selling unproven products claiming to treat, cure, and prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These products—such as Medavir, Herpaflor, Viruxo, C-Cure, and Never an Outbreak—violate federal law because the FDA has not evaluated them for safety and effectiveness. Some are marketed as dietary supplements, but the FDA considers them drugs since they are offered for the treatment of disease. More information is provided in the FDA Press Release.

2010

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